Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-09
OTGHT THEY TO COMPLAIN?

The REPUBLIC never has and does mol
now endorse the boycott. We did not en-
dorse the boycott on rearly one thousand
men at East street and the Champion shops
more than wear ago, simply because those
men chose TO hold membership in al organ
ization distasteful 10 the proprietors of
those great shops. We did not then be-
lieye the boycott to be right principle,
and do not now. Because Of our position
at that time. we also We're boycotted by
those firms. and they launched a personal
organ for the purpose Of carrying on the
warfare The men were boycotted because
they were members of labor organization,
and We were boycotted because We con
demned the boycott. This organ has kept
up its fight ever since. Conceived IN that
evil spirit. il has never forgotten TO cry the
virtues of the principles giving it birth. In
season and out Of season they have kept up
the fight.
Those firms and their organ have been
labored with by committees of workingmen
10 change their ideas on this question. and
the press everywhere has condemned the
principle and attempted to show them the
error of their ways. but to no avail.
Finding reason and argument to no pur
yse these committees decided to meet their
,ycott on the Times. the organ and mouth
D ece OF the first boycott ever declared in
this city. This has been on for some weeks.
and the Times people are feeling its effects.
and last night came out in column whine
protesting against the injustice Of the
principles. They are being met with their
own arguments and made 10 dance to their
own music. The editor asks: Is it right
and just for those men TO attempt to ruin
the business Of all firms who do not join
their conspiracy to ruin the Times? We
saw that this is not right. neither was it
right for the Times to be brought into ex-
isteRce. and maintained at great financial
loss for the declared purpose Of running
those newspaper publishers who denounced
the boycott a. declared by the Times pro
prietors against their workmen.
The course of the Times has been un-
merciful. uncharitable and untruthful in its
warfare. not only against those within the
range of its declared boycott. but against
every one who, in any way, took issue with
them in their course. The announced new
managers of the paper have made no
change in its policy as 10 the boycott. not a
word having appeared in their columns to
-. ,,,, Ia.
that they always have. towsrds organized
labor and its sympathizers. The boycott
which they declared has not been declared
of. and they squesl like spanked babies
when the same rule is applied TO them.
The proprietors stuck the knife deep into
the vitals OF their wOrkmen and the Times
cried amen. The ruls-or-ruin policy is not
right at any time or under any circum-
stances. but the Times. the organ of that
idea, should not squeal when its own bat
tery is captured by the enemy and turned
upon it. The young slave to that idea Of
bossism, who sold his birthright for q mess
OF pot'aGe, need give himself no concern
regarding the firms black-listed. The tight is
not against them; they are business men
and know how to take care of themselves.
The trouble is that the boycotter's knife.
which his people first unsheathed. is cutting
deep into his persona! interests, and it
seems TO him an unlawful weapon when
welded by others.
The REPUBLICS single purpose is TO
maintain those principles of right and JUS
tice best calculated to advance the interests
OF Springfield and her people. We have al
ways contended and yet believe that there
is a middle ground. a common plane. on
which opposing interests can meet and ad-
just their differences.